Montana State University
Sacramento State
Bobcat Women Clean Glass in Win over Sacramento State
1/6/2011 10:00:50 PM | Women's Basketball
The Montana State women’s basketball team held a commanding 66-36 advantage in rebounding, and coupled with a change in defenses, cruised to a 106-55 victory over Sacramento State, Thursday night in the Big Sky Conference opener for both squads.
The Montana State women's basketball team held a commanding 66-36 advantage in rebounding, and coupled with a change in defenses, cruised to a 106-55 victory over Sacramento State, Thursday night in the Big Sky Conference opener for both squads.
“The first eight minutes of the game were frenetic,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “Sacramento State was spreading us out pretty good, but once we switched to man and were able to control the offensive boards, we put together a nice run and that was the difference.”
With the score tied at 17-all at the 12:01 mark, Montana State (7-8, 1-0) scored 17 unanswered points to blow open the game. The Bobcat streak was sparked by freshman Chelsea Banis with seven points.
Four Bobcat players reached double-figures led by Katie Bussey with 25 points. The junior from Alamosa, Colo., connected on 10-of-15 from the field and added five rebounds, five steals and four assists.
Also in double-digits were Lyndi Seidensticker 19, Rachel Semansky 17 and Banis 15.
Aside from recording a career-high 17 points, Semansky, a freshman from Highwood, also hauled down a career-best 13 rebounds.
“Rachel is just one of those kids with no fear,” Binford said. “Across the board she is our most physical player and her effort really paid off.”
Senior Sarah Balian also helped MSU under the glass with ten rebounds.
For the game, the Bobcats shot 48 percent from the field, including 54 percent in the second stanza, while holding the Hornets to 29 percent from the floor.
Shanti Smith paced Sacramento State (3-11, 0-1) with ten points and four rebounds. MSU held Kylie Kuhns to just four boards. Kuhns entered the game as the nation's third leading rebounder at 12.5 per game.
Montana State will host Northern Colorado on Saturday at 7 p.m., in Worthington Arena.
